Chute and shaft in buildings.



J. w. FARLEY.

CHUTE AND SHAFT IN BUILDINGS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. I914.

1,1 52,309.. Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

/2 ATTORNEY COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0.. WASHINGTON. D c.

J. W. FARLEY.

CHUTE AND SHAFT IN BUILDINGS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.20, 1914.

1,152,309. Patented Aug. 31, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEY COLUMBIA PLANoflRAPH CO.,WASHINKITON, D. c.

1 ra Mim "aonon W. .rannnsz, or CLEVELAND, .OI-IIO.

' :cnurr. Ann :snnrr IN nurtures.

Cleveland, :in the county of .Guyahoga and State of Ohio, ?have invented certain new.

and useful Improvements in Chutes and Shafts .in Buildings, of which the following is :a specification.

This invention :has reference to clothes chutes, all substantially :as :shown and described and particularly {pointed out :in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical .sectional elevation of :a mul tiple chute iforra building ofr'several stories, and Fig. '2 is a :front Fig.v 3 isacross section on -.line 3 -3, .1 plus the door. Fig. 4: is aicrosssectmn on line 4 4:, Fig. 1, plus the door. Fig. 5 is a cross section of .the lower portion :of .the

chute. Fig. 6 is=a:sectional elevation show-' ingone of the dampersclosed and the vent flue from beneath same.

The invention herein proceeds on the theory that all clothes chutes s'hou'ldbe constructed of fire proof or atleastfire resisting materials, and for such purposes I find that black .or galvanized sheet metal plates :and terra cotta are desirable because they afford a smooth interior surface and are non-inflammable. If sheet metal be used, it should be not less than 22 gage and covered with not less than one-half to three quarter inch asbestos, mill-board or air cell board, or what is known as transite board, one-fourth inch or more in thickness and made air tight.

Now, having a fire proof or fire resisting chute or shaft in view, and particularly a chute for clothes in private residences and for papers in office and other buildings, as well as for various inflammable materials in mercantile and manufacturing establishments, I construct the chute or shaft after the manner herein shown, with an inclosing wall C. If this wall be of galvanized iron, as above described, and which is employed in this instance as indicated by 2, I cover the same outside with a heavy layer of fire resisting material 3, which, preferably, is either asbestos, mill-board or aircell board, or its equivalent, and of such thickness or depth as the character of the building or the surrounding conditions may require. For example, if the building itself elevation :thereof. I

Specificationof LettersPatent. Patented Aug,31, 11915,}

Applicatiomfiled.:April20, 1914. Seria1l'1\To.:833;0.09.

be ifiresproof, so .that the immediate sur roundingsofzthe chute or shaft are not combustible, the chute will be in comparatively small dangerand may have .a lighter-cover-' ing than wvhere it is practically set in wood, as in :the :average private dwelling However, :111 any event, the sheet metal interior isto have a ffire protecting or insulating cov-.

ering, and the same precaution :is taken if terracotta be used instead of metal. A fun ther precaution against the spread of fire is a EfiIBPI-OOf door or damper D, at each landing. This door is preferably of :the swinging damper type, having pivots 4: ofl center and adapted to swing down :into closed position by gravity-latter having beenopened. To this end, I einploya counterweight 'w, or its equivalent, ,on thershort side of the damper, and asbestos orilike cushionsiorspaclringsb "of ffire proof material serving alsoas stops for the door when it is rclose'd and also and especially :to :seal those edges against the passage 0f Lair up through the chute'or shaft. -These cushions are covered by a sheet .metalstrip or plate so as to present a'smooth exterior, :and the said metal or sheet 6 is continued along the sides =of the :chute, as to the "pivots 4,

above and below, Fig. 6 and inclined inward toward the damper or door from the riveted top edge thereof so that the lower edge of said sheet or lining stands out over the damper more or less. Possibly, for practical purposes the opening of the chute beneath the damper door need not be narrowed quite as much as shown. Normally the said damper is closed by its own weight, and it is only opened when used to drop anything into the chute. A similar door d is provided at each and every landing for the opening 0 and which also is fire proof. The bottom of the chute may come entirely down to the cellar floor or stop at any point between the said floor and the ceiling, and all exterior or exposed surfaces have the asbestos covering.

Another feature of the invention consists in the ventilating means represented by a flat sided flue F, or its equivalent terminating in a pipe or tube 7 at its top which has its exit through the roof of the building and is adapted to draw off foul air from the diflerent floors and also from the cellar or laundry room beneath. A constant draft is maintained by this flue or vent by reason 3 inside the chute,

of its being constantly open, and ofeourse the .covering with asbestos is maintained from end to end. The said ventilating flue is also provided with aweatherproof ventilator 1) at the top,

occurs. The entrance to this flue is from beneath'each self closing door D; asherein shown to avoid stagnant air' in the chute or shaft,

and the said shaft has increased area from thebottom upward to provide for the several inlets thereto at the successive elevations. It follows that each floor has its own: equipment of a self-closing door from the apartment. Fromthe said openthe said portion bottom-of said opening and wher o ing 0, there is no the bottom except the single damper D .for of the chute at about the easily'reach by hand. Each particular floor has a like complete equipment. The bottom of each chute or subdlvision has a tilting closure 12'of the form of a receptacle which serves to dump the contents and rollback lntoclosing position, the front it thereof in the chute and adapted to close by gravity,

and fire-proof packing fixed in the chute at if it be notvdirected" f into a chimney or smoke stack, as sometimes building,

anda ventilating flue orduct, and fire proof door to closethe chute obstruction in the chute topers.

2. A chute as described having a fireresisting wall provided with openings at its ront corresponding to the floors in the in'combination with a series of fire-resisting dampers in said chute next beneath said openings and pivoted in the side wall ofthe chute and adapted to be pressed downward at the front by hand and to close by gravity.- v

3. A;fire resisting clothes chute having a plurality of vertically disposed ducts to drop the clothes providedeach with a front opening in its top and a damper beneath said opening, in combination with a fire "proof ventilating tube extending from the lowest damper to a point above said chute and of gradually increased area in cross section from bottom to top and a duct from beneath each damper into said tube.

4:. A fire-resisting chute for clothes and the like having an opening at its top and front adapted to receive the clothes and an opening at its bottom to remove the clothes and fire-resisting closures adapted to automatically shut both of said openingsand prevent fire from passing up through the same.

- In testimony whereof I afiix in presence of two witnesses.

J OHON W. FARLEY.

my signature Witnesses: R. B. Mosnn,

F. J. GREEK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

